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MAR  18   1958 


ffllBo  SI(DID(BIBP0 


DISSERTATION 


BIBLICAL  LITERATURE. 


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— 


WarfJdd  Library 


DISSERTATION, 


ON  THF. 


IMPORTANCE 


QF 


SaSILIKSiilL  M^IBIRiiOTIBI8< 


BY 

CHARLES  HODGE,  A.  M. 

TEACHER  OF  THE  ORIGINAL    LANGUAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE, 
IN  THE  THEOLOGICAL    SEMINARY  OF    THE  PRES- 
BYTERIAN CHURCH,  AT  PRINCETON. 


>f#f< 


TRENTON, 

PRINTED  BY  GEORGE  SHERMAN. 
1822. 


. 


*-  •' 


c 


&v 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


TOWARD  the  close  of  December  last,  a  Society  was 
formed,  in  the  Theological  Seminary,  at  Princeton,  for 
improvement  in  Biblical  Literature.  The  exercises  of  this 
Society,  are  of  two  kinds  ;  the  first  consisting  in  disserta- 
tions on  important  subjects  connected  with  Biblical  Liter- 
ature ;  the  second  in  translations  and  expositions  of 
Sacred  Scripture.  These  exercises  are  performed  by 
the  members  in  alphabetical  order.  The  Constitution  of 
the  Society  made  it  the  duty  of  the  President  to  read  the 
first  dissertation.  It  was  in  obedience  to  this  requisition 
that  the  following  discourse  was  hastily  prepared.  Since 
that  time,  it  has  been  considerably  enlarged :  in  other  res- 
pects, little  alteration  has  been  made. 

The  thought  of  publishing  this  address  would  never 
have  entered  the  mind  of  the  writer,  had  not  the  sugges- 
tion been  made  by  the  gentlemen,  whom  of  all  others,  he 
is  most  inclined  to  respect.  He  hopes  it  may  be  viewed 
in  the  light,  in  which  the  circumstances  of  the  case^are 
calculated  to  present  it ;  as  merely  intended,  to  give  the 
members  of  an  infant  society,  some  general  view  of  an  in- 
teresting department  of  their  studies  ;  and  to  offer  some 
considerations  calculated  to  secure  for  it  their  diligent 
attention. 

Princeton,  March,  1822-. 


DISSERTATION,  &c. 


J.  HE  constitution  of  our  Society  requires  the 
President  to  read  an  address,  or  dissertation,  at 
the  first  stated  meeting  in  cacli  session.  With 
the  view  of  discharging  this  duty,  I  have  selected 
The  Importance  of  Biblical  Literature,  as  the 
subject  of  the  following  discourse. 

It  will  be  necessary  in  order  to  the  proper 
consideration  of  this  subject,  to  gain  some  defi- 
nite idea  of  what  is  meant  by  Biblical  Litera- 
ture. My  object,  therefore,  in  the  first  place, 
will  be  to  sta^e,  as  far  as  I  am  able,  the  gene- 
ral outlines  of  this  department  of  Theological 
learning. 

Biblical  Literature  is  usually  divided  into  two 
great  parts,  denominated   Criticism,  and  Inter- 


pretation,  or  Hermeneutics.  The  object  of  the 
former,  is  to  determine  what  is  the  genuine  text 
of  sacred  scripture;  of  the  latter,  to  discover  and 
exhibit  its  meaning. 

The  series  of  Books  which  compose  the  Sa- 
cred Volume,  were  written  at  different  times, 
during  a  period  of  sixteen  hundred  years. 
The  latest  of  these  productions,  therefore,  have 
come  down  to  us  through  a  series  of  more  than 
seventeen  centuries ;  and  the  earliest,  have  been 
preserved  for  more  than  three  thousand  years. 
During  this  long  period,  they  have  undergone 
innumerable  transcriptions  in  almost  every  part 
of  the  world,  and  by  every  description  of  per- 
sons. We  find,  from  our  own  experience,  that 
it  is  difficult  to  transcribe  a  single  page  without 
making  some  mistake,  and  that  to  transcribe  a 
volume  without  an  error,  would  be  almost  im- 
possible. That  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  therefore, 
should  have  been  exempted  from  all  errors  of 
this  nature,  would  have  required  a  miraculous 
superintendence  of  every  one  who  undertook  to 
transcribe  them.  We  have  the  most  convincing 
proof,  that  no  such  miraculous  influence,  has 
ever  been  granted.  It  has  been  found,  on  the 
collation  of    the    numerous    manuscripts    still 


extant,  and  on  the  examination  of  other  sources 
of  information,  that  the  number  of  discrepances 
is  very  great,  and  indeed  at  first  view  appal- 
ling. It  becomes,  therefore,  a  matter  of  great 
difficulty  and  importance,  to  determine,  amidst 
this  vast  multitude,  which  is  the  true  reading, 
and  to  fix  with  certainty  the  text  which  procee- 
ded from  the  sacred  penmen. 

The  importance  of  this  subject  is  such  that  it 
early  forced  itself  on  the  attention  of  the  friends 
of  revelation.  Even  as  early  as  the  time  of 
Origen,  the  discrepances  between  the  seve- 
ral copies  of  the  Septuagint,  were  so  numer- 
ous and  serious,  that  he  was  induced  to  devote 
more  than  twenty- eight  years  of  his  life,  to  a 
laborious  attempt  to  restore  its  purity,  and 
bring  it  to  a  nearer  coincidence  with  the  He- 
brew. In  this  department  of  sacred  criticism, 
he  was  followed  by  Lucian,  of  Antioch,  and 
Hesychius,  of  Egypt,  whose  revised  editions  be- 
came the  standard  copies  of  their  respective 
countries,  and  seem  to  have  included  the  New- 
Testament  as  well  as  the  Septuagint. 

The  same  disagreement  which  Origeti  had 
found  in  the  Greek  scriptures,  Jerome  com- 
plains of  in  the  Latin.  As  this  ancient  version 
had  been  made  from  the  Septuagint,  which  was 


8 

then  the  standard,  both  of  the  eastern  and  wes- 
tern churches,  Jerome  at  first,  had  courage  to 
attempt  nothing  more,  than  a  correction  of  this 
translation,  from  the  improved  text  of  the  Greek 
scriptures,  furnished  by  the  labours  of  Origen. 
But  his  manuscripts  being  lost,  or  destroyed,  he 
embraced  the  bolder  resolution  of  making  a  ver- 
sion, from  the  Hebrew  Text  itself.  This  trans- 
lation, about  the  year  six  hundred,  received  the 
sanction  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  became  the 
standard  of  the  Roman  Church. 

Previously  to  the  time  of  Jerome,  though  at 
what  precise  period  is  unknown,  the  Jews  had 
begun  to  devote  much  attention  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  Hebrew  language,  and  the  preserva- 
tion of  their  sacred  writings.  The  two  princi- 
pal seats  of  their  learning,  were  Tiberias,  for  the 
western  Jews,  and  Babylon,  for  the  eastern.  At 
the  former  of  these  places  was  composed  the 
Jerusalem  Talmud,  at  the  latter,  the  Babylo- 
nish ;  containing  the  traditionary  law  of  the 
Jews,  with  the  comments  of  their  doctors.  But 
what,  at  present,  we  are  more  interested  in,  is 
the  incredible  labour  they  devoted  to  fix  the 
text  of  the  Hebrew  scriptures,  and  to  preserve 
it  immaculate.  The  Masora,  which  is  one  of 
the  most  surprising  monuments  of  human  indus- 


try,  contains  the  result  of  their  labours.  It 
embraces  the  criticisms  on  the  text,  which  had 
been  handed  down  from  their  ancestors ;  the 
most  minute  details  respecting  the  size,  form, 
and  position  of  the  letters ;  the  number  of  let- 
ters in  each  book,  and  in  the  whole  Bible ;  how 
often  each  letter  occurs  ;  and  the  rules  to  be 
observed,  in  transcribing  the  sacred  volume  ;  in 
short,  nothing  seems  to  have  been  omitted, 
which  ingenuity  and  industry  could  devise  and 
accomplish,  to  preserve  the  Hebrew  Scriptures 
from  the  slightest  alteration.  When  these  Jews 
were  driven  from  the  east,  they  carried  with 
them  to  the  southern  parts  of  Spain,  their  fond- 
ness for  Biblical  criticism,  and  rendered  the 
twelfth  century  famous,  by  the  writings  of 
Maimonides,  Aben  Ezra,  David  Kimchi,  &fc. 

Such  was  the  effect  of  the  labours  of  the  Ma- 
sorites,  that  the  Jews  generally  imbibed  the 
belief  of  the  perfect  exemption  of  the  Hebrew 
Bible,  from  all  errors  in  letters,  points,  and  ac- 
cents. On  the  revival  of  Hebrew  literature 
among  the  christians,  shortly  before  the  Refor- 
mation, the  same  belief  of  the  immaculate  purity 
of  the  sacred  text,  was  embraced  by  them.  It 
was  not  until  the  Samaritan  Pentateuch  was  dis- 
covered, and  brought  into  Europe,  in  sixteen 


10 

hundred  and    twenty,    that   much  diversity    of 
opinion  on  this  subject  seems  to  have  existed. 
As  this  copy  of  the  Law  of  Moses  was  written 
in  the  Hebrew  language,  but  without  the  vowel 
points,   and  in  the  Samaritan  character,   critics 
were  led  to  question,  the  antiquity,  both  of  the 
Hebrew  Points  and  Letters.      As  it  was  still 
farther  observed,   that  the  Samaritan  and  He- 
brew  Pentateuchs   differed  frequently   in  their 
readings,   Morinus  was  led   to   infer  from  this 
fact,  and  from  the  diversity  which  existed  be- 
tween the  Hebrew  and  the  Septuagint,  that  the 
former  was  much  corrupted.      In  the  year  six- 
teen hundred  and  fifty,    Capellus  published  his 
Critica  Sacra,  in  which  he  took   the  more  mod- 
erate ground  of  maintaining,   that  the  Hebrew 
scriptures  had  descended  to  us,  with  the  usual 
inaccuracies  attendant  on  all  works  frequently 
transcribed.       The    opposition  made  to    these 
sentiments,  by  Buxtorf,  and  others,  was  of  the 
most  serious  kind.     The   doctrines  of   Capellus 
however,  were  soon  adopted  by    JValton,  and 
since  that  period,  have  rapidly  gained  ground. 
The  prevalence  of  these  opinions,  naturally  gave 
rise  to  the  desire  of  knowing  the  actual  state  of 
the  Hebrew  Text,  and  the  amount  of  the  diver- 
sity which  really  existed.     This  led  to  the  pub- 


11 

lication  of  Kcnnicott's  celebrated  edition  of  the 
Hebrew  Bible,  formed  from  an  extensive  colla- 
tion of  manuscripts  both  in  England  and  on  the 
continent.  This  work  was  finally  completed  in 
seventeen  hundred  and  eighty,  attended  with  an 
immense  number  of  various  readings,  though 
few  of  them  are  of  the  least  importance.  This 
collection  has  been  considerably  increased  by 
the  labours  of  De  Rossi,  who  has  been  followed 
by  «/.  D.  Michaelis,  and  Eichhorn  in  this  de- 
partment. 

The  high  idea  entertained  of  the  purity  of  the 
Hebrew  Text,  was  to  a  considerable  extent, 
transferred  to  the  received  text  of  the  New- 
Testament,  which  was  supposed  by  christians 
generally,  to  be  as  free  from  all  imperfection, 
as  the  Holy  Religion  it  recorded.  This  text 
became  fixed  in  the  Elzevir  edition  of  sixteen 
hundred  and  twenty-four.  The  history  of  the 
formation  of  the  Received  Text,  as  exhibited 
in  this  edition,  is  thus  briefly  summed  up  by 
Griesbach  on  page  forty- two  of  his  Prolegomena. 
••  The  Elzevir  edition  was  formed  from  that  of 
i6  Beza,  and  the  third  of  Stephens.  Beza  fol- 
"  lowed  the  third  of  Stephens,  with  very  few 
••'  alterations.    This  edition  of  Stephens,  was  the 


12 

<(  fifth  of  Erasmus  reprinted,  with  the  exception 
"  of  the  few  instances  in  which  he  preferred  the 
"  Complutensian.  Erasmus  formed  his  text, 
'<  from  a  few  modern  manuscripts,  with  the  as- 
"  sistance  of  the  Latin  Vulgate,  and  the  writ- 
ings of  a  few  of  the  Fathers  inaccurately 
"  edited,* 

Shortly  after  the  formation  of  the  Received 
Text,  in  the  Elzevir  edition  in  sixteen  hundred 
and  twenty-four,  Biblical  Literature  received 
a  considerable  accession,  in  the  publication  of 
Jfalton's  Polyglott,  and  subsequently  of  Father 
SimorSs  Critical  Histories  of  the  Old  Testament 
and  New  Testaments,  The  attention  bestowed 
on  this  subject,  gradually  increased,  and  the 
number  of  discrepances  was  found  to  be  more 
and  more  considerable.  The  Received  Text 
was  gradually  obtaining  the  sanctity  of  age,  and 
the  authority  of  long  continued  acceptance, 
when  the  christian  world  was  aroused  by  the 

*  Griesbach  very  properly  remarks,  that  no  edition  is  entitled  to 
&ny  authority  of  itself,  but  is  to  be  estimated  by  the  value  of  the 
materials  from  which  it  was  formed.  It  has  providentially 
happened,  according  to  the  opinion  of  later  critics,  that  the  man. 
uscripts  whence  Erasmus,  and  the  other  early  editors,  formed  their 
editions,  belong  to  the  very  class,  which  of  all  others  is  of  the  most 
value,  and  that  therefore  the  Received  Text  is  better  entitled  to  our 
confidence  thai)  any  other  which  has  yet  been  formed. 


13 

appearance  of  the  edition  of  Dr.  Mill,  with  its 
thirty  thousand  various  readings.  The  subject 
now  assumed  so  serious  an  aspect,  that  the  ene- 
mies of  the  truth  stood  in  wishful  expectation, 
to  see  the  very  foundation  of  the  church  under- 
mined, and  the  pious  were  turning  themselves 
to  God  as  their  last  refuge.  As  this  subject, 
for  a  time,  almost  engrossed  the  attention  of 
Christendom,  it  was  pursued  with  the  greatest 
ardour.  The  materials  of  this  science,  have 
thus  not  only  been  greatly  encreased,  but  re- 
duced to  the  order  of  a  regular  system,  by  the 
labours,  of  JFetstein,  Bengel,  Semlcr,  and  es- 
pecially of  Griesbach.  Although  the  various 
readings  have  been  made  to  amount  to  no  less 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  yet,  since 
it  has  been  found,  that  rules  or  criteria  could 
easily  be  determined  upon,  whose  application, 
would  decide,  in  almost  every  important  in- 
stance, which  was  the  original  reading,  and  that 
the  vast  majority  of  these  discrepances  were  of 
no  importance,  relating  to  mere  differences  of 
orthography,  arrangement  of  words,  or  other 
trivial  particulars,  the  hopes  and  fears  of  the 
enemies,  and  the  friends  of  the  truth,  have  alike 


14 

subsided,  and  the  church  with  more  confidence 
than  ever  can  exclaim — Verbum  Dei  manet  in 
(Sternum.* 

It  surely  will  not  be  considered,  an  unreason- 
able requisition,  that  we  review  the  course  of 
this  investigation,  and  follow  the  steps  which 
have  led  to  this  delightful  result;  that  we  care- 
fully consider  the  evidence,  that  the  Bible  we 
now  have,  is  essentially  the  Bible,  which  pro- 
ceeded from  the  sacred  writers.  To  lead  us 
over  this  course,  and  exhibit  this  evidence,  is 
the  office  of  Sacred  Criticism.  As  this  is  a 
subject  of  great  interest,  and  importance,  it  is 
also  one  of  considerable  extent,  requiring, 

I.  As  it  regards  the  Old  Testament,  a  his- 
tory of  the  sacred  text,  through  difFerent  pe- 
riods, from  its  formation,  to  the  present  day, 
including  an  account  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
several  Books  were  originally  written,  compil- 
ed, and  preserved,  and  the  various  means  devis- 
ed for  maintaining,  or  restoring  their  purity. 

The  first  point  of  interest  on  this  subject,  is 
the  consideration  of  the  question,  respecting  the 

•  It  should  be  stated,  that  these  errors  do  not  affect  the  Integri- 
ty of  the  Tc^t.  Because,  in  almost  every  instance,  they  are  the 
mere  mistakes  of  transcribers ;  and  the  true  reading,  though  lost 
in  one  copy,  is  preserved  in  another, 


15 

purity  of  the  Hebrew  Text ;  and  having  come 
to  the  conclusion  now  universally  admitted,  that 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  text  immaculately 
pure,  to  inquire  into  the  various  Sources  of  the 
errors  found  to  exist,  and  to  arrange  them  in 
their  proper  classes. 

Our  second  object  should  be,  the  considera- 
tion of  the  means  by  which  the  purity  of  the 
text  may  be  restored.  This  requires  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  sources  whence  its  original  state  is 
to  be  learnt,  such  as  ancient  jnanuscripts,  ver- 
sions, and  quotations. 

With  regard  to  Manuscripts*,  we  must  learn 
the  circumstances  by  which  their  compara- 
tive authority  is  to  be  determined  ;  as  their 
antiquity,  the  care  with  which  they  have  been 
written,  and  preserved,  and  the  particular  fami- 
ly or  class  to  which  they  belong. 

The  consideration  of  the  Ancient  Fersionsy 
leads  us  into  the  extensive  history  of  the  LXX. 
Whether  this  version  derived  its  name  from  the. 
belief,  that  seventy-two  persons  were  engaged 
in  the  translation,  or  from  its  being  made  under 
the  sanction  of  the  council  of  seventy  elders,  is 
uncertain.  It  is  strongly  recommended  to  out 
attention,  by  its  high  antiquity ;  by  the  authori- 
ty it  so  long  maintained  both  in  the  Jewish  and 


16 

christian  church  ;  by  the  influence  it  has  hud 
on  the  style  of  the  New  Testament ;  and  its 
importance  in  ascertaining  the  ancient  readings 
of  the  Old.  The  other  versions  of  importance, 
are  the  Greek  translations,  of  Aquila,  Symma- 
chits,  and  Theodotion, — the  ancient  Latin,  the 
Si/riac  and  the  Chaldee  Paraphrases,  or  Jewish 
Tar  gums.  Each  of  these  versions  is  considered, 
as  in  some  measure  exhibiting  the  text,  at  the 
period  in  which  they  were  respectively  made. 

In  this  connection  should  be  mentioned,  the 
Samaritan  Pentateuch,  which  is  the  Hebrew 
Text  in  the  Samaritan  character,  and  as  is 
generally  supposed,  the  ancient  Hebrew  char- 
acter. As  this  Pentateuch,  has  come  down, 
through  a  channel  entirely  distinct,  from  that 
by  which  the  Jewish  Scriptures  have  been  re- 
ceived, and  as  it  has  had  considerable  influence 
in  regulating  the  course  of  Sacred  Criticism,  it 
becomes  one  of  the  most  interesting  documents 
connected  with  this  subject. 

The  principal  Quotations  of  importance, 
from  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  are  to  be  found, 
in  the  Jewish  Talmuds.  In  addition  to  these 
sources  of  information,  should  be  mentioned, 
the  Masora,  which  contains  the  critical  appara- 
tus of  the  Jews,  for  restoring  and  preserving  the 
purity  of  the  text. 


17 

After  attending  to  these  various  means  oi* 
arriving  at  a  knowledge  of  the  original  state  of 
the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  we  are  next  to  consider 
their  relative  value,  and  the  rules  to  be  adopted 
in  selecting  from  the  various  readings  they 
afford. 

And,  finally,  we  are  to  review  the  history  of 
the  actual  application  of  these  means,  to  the 
restoration  of  the  text,  which  involves  an  ac- 
count of  the  early  critical  labours  of  the  Jews, 
and  the  subsequent  labours  of  christians,  which 
can  only  be  given  in  an  account  of  the  various 
critical  editions  of  the  Hebrew  Bible. 

II.  When  we  turn  to  the  Criticism  of  the  New 
Testame.nl,  wcmiet  a  subject  of  far  greater 
extent,  and  importance,  although  we  shall  have 
the  same  general  course  to  pursue  ;  examin- 
ing first,  the  sources  of  the  errors,  secondly, 
the  means  of  their  correction,  and  thirdly,  the 
history  of  the  application  of  these  means. 

Most  of  the  sources  of  error,  which  affected 
the  Old  Testament,  have  also  operated  on  the 
New,  and  many  of  them  to  a  much  greater  ex- 
tent ;  because  the  New  Testament  was  more 
widely  diffused,  more  frequently,  and  less  care- 
fully transcribed.  The  attention  the  Jews  de- 
voted to  the  correctness  of  their  manuscripts,, 


18 

was  carried  to  a  superstitious  extent.  The 
rules  which  they  prescribed  to  their  transcri- 
bers, embraced  the  most  minute  particulars, 
such  as,  the  size  and  form  of  the  letters,  the 
number  to  be  comprised  in  each  line,  their  dis- 
tance from  each  other,  &c.  This  laborious 
attention,  joined  with  the  influence  exerted  by 
the  predictions  of  their  Rabins,  as  to  the  result 
of  the  least  mistake,  produced  a  degree  of  scru- 
pulous care,  which  was  never  extended  to  the 
books  of  the  New  Testament.  This  circum- 
stance, together  with  the  great  multiplication  of 
the  copies  of  the  New  Testament,  would  lead  us 
to  expect,  that  the  discrepances  between  these 
copies  would  be  more  serious,  than  the  various 
readings  of  the  Old  Testament. 

The  means  of  correcting  whatever  errors 
really  may  exist,  and  of  arriving  at  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  original  text,  may  again  be  referred 
to  the  several  heads  of  manuscripts,  versions, 
and  quotations. 

In  estimating  the  value  of  Manuscripts  we 
must,  as  before,  attend  to  their  antiquity  ;  the 
care  with  which  they  were  written  ;  their  puri- 
ty, or  freedom  from  corrections  or  interpola- 
tions ;  and  the  class  to  which  they  belong.  This 
last  subject,  rises  into  incalculable  importance, 


19 

from  the  fact,  that  critics  do  not  hesitate  to 
merge  one  hundred  manuscripts  into  one  testi- 
mony, and  to  make  one  counter-balance  an  hun- 
dred, according  to  the  particular  class  to  which 
they  belong.  In  other  words,  in  judging  of  any 
particular  reading,  the  number  of  individual 
manuscripts  is  hardly  taken  into  the  account;  the 
only  question  is,  by  how  many  classes  or  recen- 
sions is  it  supported  ?  as  these  only  are  consid- 
ered as  independent  witnesses.  For  this,  there 
is  clearly  important  reason,  since  it  would  be  as 
improper  to  adduce  as  separate  testimony,  the 
several  transcripts  of  the  same  manuscript,  as 
the  several  copies  of  the  same  edition  of  any 
printed  work.  But  the  difficulty  lies,  in  find- 
ing sufficient  criteria  for  separating  the  several 
manuscripts  into  their  distinct  classes.  There 
is  certainly  danger  of  exalting  to  the  rank  of 
independent  witnesses,  those  which  are  not  en- 
titled to  this  authority.  Bengel  first  proposed 
this  principle  of  classification.  He  was  followed 
by  Scmler,  and  afterwards  by  Griesbach.  These 
critics,  observing  ,  among  the  numerous  various 
readings  exhibited  by  existing  manuscripts, 
that  in  characteristic  readings  many  of  them 
agreed,  and  that  this  coincidence  was  so  mark- 
ed, that  it  could  not  have  been  fortuitous,  the 


20 

manuscripts  thus  agreeing,  they  referred  to  the 
same  class,  family,  or  recension.  And  they 
still  farther  remarked,  that  those  manuscripts 
which  agree  in  their  characteristic  readings, 
came  from  the  same  country,  and  coincide  with 
the  several  versions,  and  with  the  writings  of 
the  Fathers,  which  belong  to  their  respective 
districts.  Hence  these  recensions,  are  called 
the  Western  ;  the  Alexandrine  and  the  Byzan- 
tine, as  prevailing  in  these  several  sections  of 
the  church.  This  is  Griesbach's  distribution. 
The  manuscripts  belonging  to  the  two  former 
of  these  classes,  are  extremely  few,  yet  on  the 
supposition  that  they  are  separate  and  indepen- 
dent witnesses,  these  few  in  case  of  their  coin- 
cidence, are  made  to  outweigh  the  multitude 
which  belong  to  the  Byzantine  division.  It  is 
on  this  coincidence  that  the  authority  of  Gries- 
bach's  text  is  founded.  It  is  plain,  therefore, 
that  this  authority  may  be  destroyed,  either  by 
shewing,  that  there  is  no  sufficient  ground,  for 
thus  separating  manuscripts  into  distinct  classes, 
which  was  the  opinion  of  Matthcei,  and  other 
distinguished  men,  and  which  is  the  tendency  of 
a  great  part  of  Dr.  Laurence's  Essay  on  this 
subject ;  or,  admitting  that  there  is  good  reason 
for  this  classification,  by  shewing  that  some  of 


21 

these  witnesses  are  unworthy  of  credit.  This 
Mr.  Nolan  has  attempted  in  his  work  on  the 
Integrity  of  the  Greek  Vulgate.  His  object  was 
to  prove,  that  the  Byzantine  text,  which  is  that 
followed  in  the  Received  Text  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, is  the  only  one  which  has  come  down 
uncorrupted,  and  supported  by  the  uniform  tra- 
ditionary testimony  of  the  church.  Instead  of 
calling  the  first  two  classes  Western  and  Alex- 
andrine, he  calls  them  Egyptian,  and  Palestine, 
and  gives  (page  105)  a  satisfactory  reason 
for  the  prevalence  of  the  first  in  the  Western 
church,  and  of  the  second  in  Alexandria.  By 
thus  changing  the  birth  place  of  these  two  re- 
censions, he  is  enabled  to  give  an  historical  ac- 
count of  their  origin.  The  Egyptian  Text  he 
ascribes  to  the  revision  of  Hesychius,  the  Pales- 
tine to  that  of  Euscbius.  The  Byzantine  was 
edited  by  Lacianus.  The  last  mentioned  edi- 
tor, he  supposes,  published  the  then  authorized 
text,  without  alteration  ;  whereas  both  the  oth- 
ers corrected  their  copies  agreeably  to  their 
own  views,  and  to  the  state  of  opinion  in  their 
respective  countries,  with  which  he  shews  they 
very  strikingly  correspond.  In  thus  assigning 
to  Griesbach's  two  most  important  classes,  a  re- 
cent origin,  and  endeavouring    to  fix  on  them 


22 


the  charge  of  systematic  corruption,  he  has  at- 
tempted to  undermine  the  authority  of  his  prin- 
ciples for  settling  the  text.  How  far  he  has 
succeeded  in  this  attempt,  must  be  left  for  oth- 
ers to  decide :  it  may,  however,  he  safely  as- 
serted, that  enough  has  been  accomplished,  to 
make  the  friends  of  truth  hesitate  to  acknowl- 
edge the  exclusive  authority  of  a  text,  which  is 
the  result  of  so  questionable  a  system. 

After  the  Manuscripts,  the  next  source  of  in- 
formation, are  the  early  Versions,  of  which  the 
most  important,  are  the  Syriac,  the  Old  Latin 
or  Italick,  the  Sahidic,  and  the  Latin  Vulgate. 
Each  of  these  is  made  to  contribute  an  important 
part  in  settling  the  sacred  text.  The  history  of 
each,  therefore,  calls  for  our  serious  attention. 

Quotations  from  the  New  Testament  in  the 
early  Fathers,  is  the  third  source,  and  one 
which  has  given  rise  to  much  discussion,  and 
exerted  great  influence  on  the  theories  of  emi- 
nent critics.  It  is  one,  also,  of  peculiar  difficul- 
ty, owing  to  the  loose,  memoriter  manner  in 
which  these  quotations  were  frequently  made. 

After  considering  these  sources  of  information 
as  to  the  original  state  of  the  sacred  text ;  we 
are  next  to  attend  to  the  rules  by  which  we  are 
to  be  governed  in  our  choice  of  the  Various 
Readings  they  afford. 


1 1 

To  learn  what  has  been  done  in  attempting  to 
restore  the  purity  of  the  text,  we  must  study  the 
principles  on  which  the  most  important  editions 
of  the  New  Testament  were  conducted,  and  their 
respective  histories,  especially  those  of  Xime- 
nes,  Erasmus,  Stephens,  Mill,  JVetstein,  and 
Griesbach. 

Such  is  a  very  imperfect  outline  of  the  first 
division  of  this  subject.  Before  proceeding  to 
say  any  thing  on  Interpretation,  I  would  men- 
tion two  or  three  subjects,  on  which  our  minds 
should  be  previously  made  up  viz.  the  Canoni- 
cal authority,  the  Genuineness,  and  the  Inspira- 
tion, of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

With  respect  to  the  first,  it  is  evidently  prop- 
er that  we  know  what  Boojks  are  to  be  recogni- 
zed as  Scripture,  before  we  proceed  to  consider 
the  principles  on  which  the  sacred  writings  are 
to  be  explained.  The  consideration  of  the  sec- 
ond subject,  is  little  more  than  the  extension  of 
the  application  of  the  principles  of  Sacred  Crit- 
icism, ascending  from  the  investigation  of  the 
genuineness  of  particular  passages,  to  the  genu- 
ineness of  entire  Books. 

The  reason  for  placing  the  Inspiration  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  in  this  part  of  our  course  is 
two  fold,  1st.  that  we  may  study  them  under  the 


- 


24 

deep  impression  that  they  are  the  Word  of  God  . 
and  2dly  because  it  may  be  found  that  the  di- 
vine origin  of  the  Scriptures  should  exert  a  con- 
siderable influence  on  the  principles  by  which 
they  are  to  be  interpreted.  It  is  one  of  the  first 
principles  of  Interpretation,  that  in  explaining 
any  work  respect  is  to  be  had  to  the  character 
of  its  author.  But  if  the  doctrine  of  the  plenary 
Inspiration  be  true,  God  is  the  real  author  of 
the  Sacred  Scriptures.  It  is  readily  admitted, 
that  this  fact  does  not  interfere  with  their  hav- 
ing been  written  according  to  the  common  prin- 
ciples of  language,  which  the  object  they  were 
intended  to  answer,  rendered  absolutely  neces- 
sary. In  translating  the  sacred  writings,  there- 
fore, the  principle  in  question  may  not  exert 
any  great  influence  ;  but  when  we  come  to  ex- 
plain them,  it  will  be  found  of  essential  impor- 
tance. The  rules  of  Interpretation,  which  arise 
out  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Bible,  are  as 
clearly  ascertained,  and  as  well  founded  as  those 
which  arise  from  any  other  source,  resting  on 
the  authority  of  the  sacred  writers  themselves. 
It  is  from  them  we  learn,  that  the  Old  dispensa- 
tion, was  preparatory  to  the  New ;  that  the  Law 
was  "  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come,v  and  is 
to  be  explained  accordingly. 


^5 

Before  entering,  therefore,  on  the  second  de- 
partment of  this  subject,  we  should  be  convinced 
of  the  canonical  authority,  authenticity,  and  in- 
spiration of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  that  we  may 
be  able  to  take  their  divine  authority  as  proved. 

I  am  now  to  endeavour,  briefly  to  state  the 
course  to  be  pursued  in  the  Interpretation  of 
the  Bible. 

And  in  the  first  place,  we  may  mention  what 
is  either  essential,  or  highly  important,  in  the 
Interpreter  himself.  As,  first,  a  knowledge  of 
the  -languages  in  which  the  Bible  was  originally 
written.  Any  one  who  reads  a  work  in  a  trans- 
lation, reads  it  through  a  glass  darkly.  The 
words  and  phrases  of  no  two  languages  exactly 
correspond  ;  and  the  indescribable  shades  of 
meaning,  which  words  derive  from  peculiar 
combinations,  it  is  impossible  a  version  should 
retain.  Without  dwelling  on  this  subject,  it  is 
sufficient  to  appeal  to  the  experience  of  every 
one  acquainted  with  any  two  languages  what- 
ever. How  would  the  ancient  classics  be  esti- 
mated, if  judged  by  a  literal  translation  ? 

He  should  also  be  acquainted  with  the  char- 
acter and  history  of  the  several  sacred  writers, 
with  the  state  of  opinion  in  the  age  in  which 
they  lived.      This  is  of  peculiar  importance  in 


26 

regard  to  the  New  Testament,  and  includes  a 
knowledge  of  the  sects  and  opinions  of  the  Jews, 
of  the  early  christian  doctrines,  and  of  the  early 
heresies.  He  should  also  be  acquainted  with 
the  manners  and  customs,  the  laws,  character, 
and  circumstances  of  the  persons  to  whom  the 
sacred  writings  were  addressed,  their  civil  his- 
tory, with  that  of  neighbouring  nations,  together 
with  whatever  light,  geography,  chronology, 
natural  history,  and  philosophy,  can  cast  on  the 
Sacred  Volume. 

The  Interpreter  of  Scripture  should*  be 
discriminating  and  cautious ;  he  should  be  hum- 
ble and  teachable,  sensible  of  his  need  of  divine 
teaching,  and  anxious  to  obtain  it.  Of  all  qual- 
ifications the  most  important,  are  piety,  and  a 
firm  conviction  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Scrip- 
tures :  without  these  we  can  never  enter  into  the 
feelings  and  views  of  the  sacred  writers,  nor 
have  any  proper  impressions  as  to  the  design  of 
the  Bible,  and  therefore  cannot  be  prepared  to 
expound  it. 

The  first  duty  of  an  Interpreter  is  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  meaning  of  words,  the 
several  classes,  into  which  they  are  naturally 
•divided,  and  to  become  familiar  with  the  general 
principles  of  language. 


27 

We  must  next  attend  to  the  common  accep- 
tation of  words  and  phrases,  and  the  sources  of 
information  on  this  subject :  we  should  enquire 
into  the  circumstances  by  which  the  import  of 
words  and  phrases  is  regulated  in  all  languages; 
such  as  the  opinions,  laws  and  customs  of  the 
people,  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  this  na- 
ture, which  have  influenced  the  language  and 
modes  of  expression  characteristic  of  the  Bible. 
Especially  we  should  attend  to  the  peculiar 
phraseology  of  the  New  Testament,  the  sources 
whence  it  has  been  derived,  as  the  Hebrew  ori- 
gin of  the  sacred  writers,  their  familiarity  with 
the  Septuagint,  the  influence  of  their  religious 
sects,  and  their  intercourse  with  neighbouring 
nations.  We  should  study  the  means  by  which 
the  language  of  the  New  Testament  is  to  be  il- 
lustrated ;  such  as  the  writings  of  co-temporary 
authors,  the  phraseology  of  the  Old  Testament 
both  in  the  Greek  and  Hebrew,  and  the  general 
character  of  the  eastern  idiom. 

Having  considered  these  subjects,  and  fixed  in 
our  minds  the  general  principles  of  Interpreta- 
tion, whether  applicable  to  all  writings,  or  pe- 
culiar to  the  Sacred  Volume,  we  must  attend  to 
the  interpretation  of  figurative  language,  the 
connection  between  the  literal  and  figurative 


28 

meaning  of  words,  the  circumstances  in  which 
the  latter  is  to  be  resorted  to,  &c.  This  will 
lead  to  the  consideration  of  the  principal 
figures  of  speech,  such  as  Metaphor  and  Alle- 
gory, and  especially  the  Parables  of  our  Saviour, 
which  have  been  as  often  perverted  as  any  part 
of  the  Sacred  Volume.  It  is  therefore  neces- 
sary that  we  should  have  distinctly  before  us 
the  rules  by  which  these  figures  are  to  be  ex- 
plained. 

These  are  only  preliminary  subjects,  which 
lead  to  the  more  extensive  principles  of  inter- 
pretation, applicable  to  whole  departments  of 
the  word  of  God,  as  the  rules  for  historical,  doc- 
trinal, typical  and  prophetical  Interpretation. 
The  two  latter  are  peculiarly  important.  We 
should  fix  in  our  minds  the  precise  definition  of 
a  Type  ;  learn  what  persons,  institutions,  and 
circumstances  of  the  Old  Testament  are  to  be 
considered  as  typical ;  determine  whether  we 
are  to  confine  this  character  to  the  particular 
instances  specified  in  the  New  Testament,  or 
are  at  liberty  to  extend  it,  and  how  far.  With 
regard  to  Prophecy,  it  is  unnecessary  to  say 
that  it  will  require  much  laborious  study,  includ- 
ing two  of  the  most  difficult  subjects,  connected 
with  this  whole  department,  viz — the  doctrine  of 


29 

double  sense,  and  the  modes  of  quotation  adopt- 
ed by  the  sacred  writers  of  the  New  Testament. 
And,  finally,  we  must  consider  the  systems  of  In- 
terpretation to  which  the  whole  Bible  has  been 
made  to  submit,  as  the  Cabbalistic  :  the  Allegor- 
ical ;    the  Mystical,  which  either  deserts  entire- 
ly the  grammatical  sense,  or  exalts  some  inward 
feeling  above  the  word  ;  the  Dogmatical,  which 
makes  any  system  of  doctrine  an  authoritative 
rule  of  Interpretation  ;    as  the   Roman  Church 
the  system  which  they  believe  to  have  been  han- 
ded down  in  their  Traditions  ;    and  the  Philo- 
sophical, which  makes  our  pre-conceived   opin- 
ions,   the  rule   of    faith  ;    which  includes    the 
consideration  of  the  proper  office  of  reason  in 
the  interpretation  of  scripture.       The  history 
and  claims   of  these  several  systems,  and  their 
respective  influence  on  the  church,  open    to  ue 
as  instructive  a  field  of  investigation,   as  any 
which  ecclesiastical  history  affords. 

We  may  conclude  the  general  outline  of  this 
department,  by  stating  the  most  important  and 
interesting  of  the  duties  it  enjoins,  viz.  the  im- 
mediate study  of  the  Word  of  God.  With  this 
we  are  to  be  occupied  from  the  commencement., 
to  the  close  of  our  course.  The  object  of  Bibli- 
cal Literature,  is  to  enable  us  to  do  this  with  the 


30 

best  advantage.  Not  contented  with  prescribing 
rules  of  Interpretation,  and  furnishing  the  va- 
rious means  for  the  illustration  of  the  Bible,  it 
is  a  great  part  of  her  duty  to  oversee  our  actual 
application  of  them.  It  is  therefore  to  the 
delightful  employment  of  studying  the  Scrip- 
tures that  she  invites  us. 

I  have  not  forgotten,  that  the  professed  object 
of  this  Dissertation,  is  to  exhibit  the  importance 
of  Biblical  Literature.  But  I  feel  that  I  have 
already  nearly  completed  the  task  assigned  me, 
by  shewing,  as  far  as  my  knowledge  of  the  sub- 
ject would  permit,  what  Biblical  Literature  is ; 
because  I  conceive  the  feeblest  statement  of  its 
nature,  is  demonstrative  of  its  Importance.  The 
importance  of  a  course  of  study,  whose  object  is 
to  fix  with  certainty  the  Sacred  Text,  and  ex- 
hibit the  evidence  that  the  Bible  we  now  have, 
is  the  Bible  which  God  delivered  to  his  church ; 
to  assist  us  in  discovering  and  exhibiting  its 
meaning,  by  prescribing  the  principles  by  which 
it  is  to  be  explained,  and  bringing  within  our 
reach  the  various  means  of  illustration;  and, 
above  all,  which  leads  us  so  much  to  the  imme- 
diate study  of  the  Word  itself : — the  importance 
of  such  a  course,  is  surely  a  subject  on  which 
diversity  of  opinion  is  impossible.      It  is  my 


31 

intention,  therefore,  in  the  remainder  of  this 
discourse,  merely  to  make  some  remarks,  inten- 
ded to  impress  on  our  minds,  the  necessity  of 
paying  particular  attention  to  this  subject,  the 
importance  of  which  we  must  all  admit. 

I.  The  first  consideration  I  would  mention  is, 
the  difficulty  of  the  subject. 

This  difficulty,  as  it  regards  the  criticism  of 
the  Bible,  results  from  the  extent  of  the  subject, 
and  from  its  lying,  in  a  good  degree,  without 
the  common  course  of  our  studies.  Were  it  re- 
quired of  every  individual  to  satisfy  himself, 
of  the  integrity  of  the  Text,  by  a  personal 
inspection  of  the  various  sources  of  proof,  by 
collating  numerous  manuscripts,  examining 
versions,  &c.  the  task  would  be  impossible. 
It  is  happily  unnecessary :  the  evidence  on  this 
subject  has  been  collected  by  others.  But  we 
are  required  to  examine  this  evidence  ;  and  see 
upon  what  ground  this  pillar  of  our  faith,  the 
Integrity  of  the  Text,  is  founded.  To  satisfy 
ourselves  on  this  subject,  will  require  consider- 
able attention.  The  necessity  of  this  knowledge 
is  evident  from  the  fact,  that  we  can  scarcely 
be  engaged  in  conversation,  on  disputed  theolog- 
ical points  of  the  day,  even  with  men  not  pro- 
fessionably   interested  in  the   subject,  without 


32 

their  objecting,  that  some  of  the  passages  we 
may  advance  are  spurious ;  expressing  great 
surprise  that  we  should  think  of  advancing 
them :  that  all  parties  admit  that  they  are  in- 
terpolations, &c.  Such  remarks  are  often  made, 
when  there  is  little  or  no  foundation  for  them ; 
but  unless  we  know  the  truth  of  the  case,  we 
must  not  only  submit  to  the  pain  of  exposed  ig- 
norance ;  but  of  seeing  our  cause  injured,  in  the 
view  of  all  who  may  be  present.  We  must  know, 
therefore,  what  passages  really  are  disputed, 
and  upon  what  grounds. 

This  difficulty,  however,  is  slight,  compared 
with  that  of  explaining  the  Sacred  Volume. 
The  Scriptures  are  hard  to  be  understood.  This 
assertion  is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  cardi- 
nal doctrine  of  the  perspicuity  of  Scripture. 
As  to  their  general  import,  they  are  perspicu- 
ous :  it  is  easy  to  learn  from  them  the  path  of 
duty  and  the  way  of  life ;  but  so  to  understand 
them  as  to  enter  fully  into  their  meaning,  and  to 
be  able  "  rightly  to  divide"  them,  is  exceeding- 
ly difficult.  This  difficulty  arises  from  many 
different  sources  ;  as  from  the  antiquity  of  the 
Books  ;  their  being  written  in  languages  which 
have  been  dead  for  ages ;  being  composed  by 
individuals,  and  addressed   to   persons   whose 


33 

situation,  habits,  laws,  &c.  were  so  different 
from  our  own  ;  containing  frequent  allusions  to 
opinions  and  circumstances  familiar  to  the  writ- 
ers and  their  immediate  readers,  of  which  we 
are  ignorant.  Besides,  the  nature  of  the  sub- 
jects, and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  treated, 
give  peculiar  difficulty  to  the  interpretation  of 
the  Bible.  In  proof  that  such  difficulty  really 
does  exist,  it  is  unnecessary  to  refer  to  the  di- 
versity of  opinion  as  to  the  meaning  of  scripture, 
or  to  the  universal  demand  for  commentaries. 
It  is  sufficient  to  satisfy  ourselves,  both  as  to 
this  point,  and  as  to  the  necessity  of  study,  to 
ask  ourselves  how  much  we  understand  of  the 
Prophets  or  Epistles,  by  a  mere  common  or 
cursory  reading  ?  Whether  they  do  not  appear 
dark,  and  confused  ;  and  whether,  if  we  have 
at  any  time  laboriously  studied  any  particular 
Book  or  chapter,  the  darkness  has  not  in  a  great 
measure  vanished,  the  confusion  been  reduced 
to  order,  and  the  whole  opened  to  an  extent,  and 
risen  in  a  richness,  of  which  we  had  previously 
no  conception.  While,  therefore,  the  perspicu- 
ity of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  as  to  all  that  is  es- 
sential, and  their  unspeakable  importance,  are 
reasons  for  their  universal  distribution ;  the  dif- 
ficulty of  understanding  them,  to  the  extent  to 

F, 


34 

which  we  may,  and  are  bound  to  understand 
them,  is  a  reason  why  we  should  be  diligent  in 
our  investigations  of  their  meaning,  and  seize 
with  avidity  every  possible  assistance. 

II.  A  second  consideration  which  should  se- 
cure your  attention  to  this  subject  is,  the  great 
and  prevalent  ignorance  of  the  Bible. 

One  of  the  principal  ways  by  which  this  igno- 
rance is  betrayed,  is  the  misapplication  of  scrip- 
ture, quoting  it  in  a  different  sense,  or  applying 
it  to  a  different  purpose,  from  that  intended  by 
the  sacred  writer.  When  speaking  or  writing 
on  any  subject,  texts  often  crowd  upon  the  mind, 
and  if  the  words  be  applicable  to  our  purpose, 
the  passage  is  applied,  without  adverting  to  the 
intention  of  the  writer,  or  the  mind  of  the  Spi- 
rit. Examples  of  this  kind,  and  of  passages 
being  made  to  speak  far  more  than  they  really 
contain,  and  even  something  very  different  from 
it,  are  occuring  every  day,  and  are  to  be  found 
even  in  the  writings  of  eminent  men. 

Another  proof  of  this  point,  is  quoting  as  au- 
thoritative every  thing  found  in  the  Bible  with- 
out considering  its  origin.  How  often  do  we 
hear  passages  from  the  speeches  of  Job's  friends, 
advanced  in  proof  of  some  particular  doctrine  ? 
The  doctrine  may  be  true,  and  the  words  may 


25 

contain  it  ;  but  it  is  most  certainly  improper,  to 
quote  and  urge  as  of  divine  authority,  the  very 
speeches,  in  which  these  men  were  endeavour- 
ing to  establish  error,  for  which  God  reproved 
them,  and  which  assuredly  were  not  inspired. 
Ignorance  of  the  Bible  or  want  of  judgment,  is 
also  frequently  evinced  by  adducing  weak  or 
unsound  arguments  from  scripture  language,  in 
support  of  important  doctrines.  Perhaps  there 
is  no  mistake  which  the  friends  of  religion  ever 
make,  which  has  been  productive  of  so  much 
evil  as  this.  The  mind  becomes  very  unjustly 
suspicious  of  the  whole,  on  discovering  the 
weakness  or  fallacy  of  any  part  of  a  proof. 

Without  dwelling  on  this  subject,  it  is  suffi- 
cient to  satisfy  our  minds  of  the  extent  of  this 
evil,  as  it  regards  ourselves,  by  asking  how  far 
we  really  understand  the  Bible  ?  Do  we  un- 
derstand the  Law  of  Moses;  the  system  of 
government  and  religion  it  prescribed  ;  the  con- 
nection between  the  two ;  its  ceremonial  institu- 
tions and  their  typical  "character  ?  Could  wc 
undertake  to  explain  the  book  of  Job,  or  the 
writings  of  Solomon  ?  Which  of  the  Prophets 
is  it,  with  the  origin,  design,  and  fulfilment  of 
whose  predictions,  we  feel  ourselves  sufficiently 
acquainted  "?   If  we  turn  to  the  New  Testament, 


36 

will  the  case  be  in  any  great  degree  altered  ? 
Apart  from  those  truths  which  blaze  on  every 
page,  which  every  man  knows,  and  by  which  we 
live,  should  we  like  to  be  called  upon  to  explain 
any  one  solitary  book,  unfolding  its  design, 
tracing  the  relation  of  its  parts,  entering  into 
the  spirit  of  the  author,  understanding  his  pecu- 
liarities, and  removing  his  difficulties  ?  Let  it 
not  be  supposed  we  mean  to  intimate  such  com- 
plete understanding  of  the  whole  Bible,  to  be 
within  our  reach  ;  it  is  more  than  any  man  ever 
has  accomplished,  and  is  doubtless  far  beyond 
the  compass  of  our  powers.  All  that  is  intend- 
ed, is  to  shew  that  our  ignorance  of  the  Bible  is 
much  greater  than  we  might  at  first  imagine ; 
and  that  a  consciousness  of  it  should  rouse  us  to 
endeavour  to  gain  all  the  knowledge  of  the  Sa- 
cred Volume  which  well  directed  study,  with  the 
divine  blessing,  may  secure. 

It  may  be  proper  here  to  remark  that  this 
ignorance  of  the  Bible,  results  as  much  from  our 
studying  it  improperly,  as  from  not  studying  it 
sufficiently.  We  study  the  Bible  too  much  in 
detached  passages,  as  we  find  it  quoted  in  dif- 
ferent authors,  or  as  it  becomes  necessary  for 
the  duties  of  the  pulpit: — whereas  we  should 
study  the  entire  Books,  as  continued  discourses. 


J7 

We  should  learn  the  particular  occasion  of  each  ; 
the  immediate  purpose  it  was  intended  to  an- 
swer ;  and  endeavour  to  enter  into  the  spirit 
and  design  of  the  writer,  following  the  course  of 
his  argument,  marking  the  manner  in  which  his 
exhortations  arise  out  of  his  doctrines,  and  duty- 
springs  from  truth.  It  is  admitted  that  we  here 
enter  on  a  field  which  is  houndless  ;  but  it  is  all 
important  that  we  learn  how  to  study  the  Scrip- 
tures. If  we  adopt  wrong  principles  of  interpre- 
tation ;  as  for  example,  the  doctrine  of  Cocceius, 
that  the  Bible  means  all  it  can  be  made  to  mean, 
and  thus  find,  with  him,  the  doctrine  of  justifi- 
cation in  the  battle  of  the  five  kings ;  or,  with 
Lampe,  the  history  of  the  Reformation  in  the 
feeding  of  the  five  thousand,  we  may  devote 
much  study  to  the  Bible  without  becoming  the 
wiser.  All  that  is  expected  of  us  here,  is  that 
we  gain  correct,  and  if  possible  enlarged  views  ; 
that  we  adopt  right  principles,  and  learn  how  to 
apply  them  ;  and  then  go  on  to  the  end  of  life, 
when  we  shall  find  our  feet  are  just  entering  on 
this  ever  widening  field  of  truth  and  glory. 

III.  The  third  consideration  is,  that  this 
course  of  study  would  result  in  our  increased 
knowledge  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  and  con- 
viction of  their  truth. 


38 

It  is  confessedly  important  that  the  leading 
doctrines  of  our  religion  should  be  thoroughly 
discussed;  that  their  truth  should  be  established 
by  arguments    drawn    from    Scripture,    from 
providence,  from  the  state  and  character  of  man  ; 
and  that  the  relations  of  these  truths  should  be 
exhibited.     Valuable  as  such  writings  unques- 
tionably are,  no  one  will  maintain  they  should 
be  studied,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  Bible;  or  that 
the  doctrines  of  scripture  can  be  better  learned 
elsewhere,  than  from  the  scriptures  themselves. 
For  doctrinal  knowledge,  therefore,  we  should 
come  to  the  Bible,  and  study  its  several  parts  as 
continued  discourses.     We  should  here  find  the 
truth  delivered,  without  the  imperfections  which 
must  attend  all  human  productions.     We  should 
see  religion  in  her  heavenly  attire.     The  great- 
er certainty,  as  to  the  truth  of  the  doctrines   of 
our  religion,  which  would  result  from  this  mode 
of  study,  is  another  of  its  advantages.      In  all 
doctrinal  discussions,  the  testimony  of  scripture 
must  be  imperfectly  adduced.     From  the  nature 
of  the  case,  it  is  only  detached  passages,  or  sin- 
gle assertions  of  the  truth,  that  can  be  advanced. 
But  when  we  turn  to  the  scriptures  themselves, 
and  study  the  Books  in  connection,  we  find  that 
these  doctrines  are  not  merely  taught  in  single 


39 

sentences,  but  by  the  whole  discourse ;  that  it 
is  evidently  the  great  object  of  the  sacred  wri- 
ter, to  exhibit  and  confirm  them  ;  that  for  this 
purpose  he  adduces  arguments  from  differ- 
ent sources,  presents  his  subject  in  different 
aspects,  anticipates  and  answers  objections, 
draws  inferences  and  infers  duties,  which  pre- 
suppose the  doctrines.  This  is  a  testimony 
which  cannot  be  quoted  ;  yet  it  is  one  of  the 
strongest  kind.  We  feel  that  our  faith  does  not 
rest  on  the  interpretation  of  particular  texts  ; 
that  its  foundation  is  broad  as  the  Bible,  and 
sure  as  God's  testimony. 

IV.  The  last  general  consideration  I  shall 
mention,  as  calculated  to  secure  our  attention  to 
this  subject  is  drawn  from  the  present  state  and 
future  prospects  of  our  country. 

The  history  of  Christendom  clearly  evinces, 
that  no  class  of  men  have  greater  influence  in 
society  than  the  clergy.  From  the  nature  of  our 
government,  this  influence  is  not  secured,  by  es- 
tablishment, to  any  one  order,  but  will  be  pos- 
sessed by  those,  whose  mental  and  moral  char- 
acter enable  them  to  obtain  it.  In  no  country, 
therefore,  is  the  necessity  of  personal  exertion, 
in  order  to  secure  the  means  of  being  useful,  so 
great  as  in  our  own.    This  influence  can  only  be 


40 

secured  by  knowledge.  The  sphere  on  which  a 
minister  operates,  depends  on  his  intellectual 
attainments ;  the  nature  of  his  influence,  on  his 
doctrines  and  religious  character.  As  a  gene- 
ral rule,  ministers  operate  on  their  own  level, 
and  below  it,  much  more  than  they  do  above  it. 
An  ignorant  man  must  be  content  to  do  good 
among  the  ignorant.  An  educated  man  may  in- 
fluence those  of  the  same  degree  of  learning 
with  himself,  as  well  as  his  inferiors.  If  we 
wish,  therefore,  that  society  in  some  of  its  most 
important  departments  should  be  kept  within 
the  saving  influence  of  the  truth,  and  not  resign- 
ed to  the  influence  of  cheerless  infidelity,  or  the 
power  of  those  who  are  fatally  erroneous,  we 
must  keep  pace  with  the  country  in  its  advan- 
ces in  knowledge.  This  is  not  only  an  argument 
for  learning  in  the  general,  but  also  for  atten- 
tion to  this  particular  department,  because  it 
embraces  in  its  range  many  of  the  subjects  which 
men  of  the  world  value,  and  the  knowledge  of 
which  they  respect.  That  a  minister  is  a  sound 
divine,  they  consider  a  mere  professional  at- 
tainment ;  but  if  he  be  a  classical  scholar,  and 
acquainted  with  the  ancient  history  of  society 
and  philosophy,  the  general  principles  of  liter- 
ature,   and    other    subjects    with    which    this 


41 

department  is  more  immediately  connected,  he  is 
secure  of  their  respect,  and  consequently  better 
prepared  to  do  them  good. 

And,  again  ;  Biblical  Literature  is  rapidly 
gaining  ground  in  our  country.  In  our  elder 
sister  Institution,  it  has  been  pressed  forward 
by  the  talents  and  zeal  of  one  of  its  Professors 
with  an  enthusiasm  of  which  none  of  us  are  ig- 
norant. Will  not  our  neglect  of  this  subject  put 
us  under  very  serious  disadvantages?  Is  it  not 
time  that  we  should  awake  to  a  livelier  sense  of 
its  importance  ? 

Finally  ;  the  stade  of  religious  opinion  in  our 
country,  imperiously  calls  for  our  attention  to 
this  subject.  The  advocates  of  a  system  which 
we  all  consider  as  fatally  erroneous,  are  exerting 
an  influence  for  its  advancement,  which  it  well 
becomes  us  to  consider  how  we  may  counteract. 
Their  plans  are  well  laid  and  extensive  :  some 
of  the  most  important  fountains  of  literature  are 
already  in  their  hands.  Wherever  we  turn  our 
eyes,  we  see  clear  indications  that  a  serious 
struggle  is  at  hand.  Happily  this  struggle  is  to 
be  made  on  Bible  ground.  The  authority  of  the 
Bible  has  not  been  disclaimed.  We  are  called 
upon,  therefore,  in  preparing  for  this  great  con- 
flict, which  is  probably  to  be  the  most  momen- 

F 


tous,  that  truth  and  piety  have  ever  yet  endured, 
in  the  first  place,  to  establish  the  integrity  of 
the  Sacred  Text ;  and  then  the  rules  by  which 
it  is  to  be  explained.  If  our  adversaries  would 
abide  the  application  of  these  rules,  we  should 
have  little  apprehension  as  to  the  result.  And 
this  they  must  abide,  or  retreat  into  a  still  dar- 
ker shade  of  error.  This  battle  is  not  to  be 
with  an  individual,  nor  in  a  day,  but  constantly 
and  every  where.  Our  opponents  are  wise  and 
learned ;  and  they  have  devoted  themselves 
particularly  to  this  subject.  If  we  expect,  there- 
fore, to  acquit  ourselves  to  God  and  his  church  ; 
if  we  intend  to  discharge  the  solemn  obligation  of 
handing  down  to  the  generations  which  follow, 
the  truth,  pure  as  we  received  it  from  our  Fath- 
ers, we  must  prepare  to  meet  them  upon  equal 
terms.  Shall  error,  and  in  its  train  destruction, 
triumph  over  truth  and  salvation,  through  the 
ignorance  of  truth's  defenders  ? 

In  whatever  aspect  we  view  this  subject,  if  we 
turn  to  its  extent  and  ever  varying  interest;  to 
our  lamentable  ignorance  of  the  Bible  ;  to  the 
enlargment  and  certainty  which  it  promises  to 
eur  doctrinal  knowledge ;  or  if  we  listen  to  the 
cry  of  the  church  gathering  for  her  conflict,  an 


A6 

hundred  voices  call  us  to  arise,  and  the  solitary 
whisper  which  would  question  its  importance, 
dies  unperceived. 

Before  concluding  this  discourse,  it  may  be 
proper  briefly  to  notice  two  objections  which 
may  be  raised  to  this  course  of  study. 

I.  The  first  is,  the  result  of  these  pursuits  in 
the  German  Universities. 

It  is  unquestionably  a  fact,  that  the  country 
which  has  been  most  distinguished  for  its  pro- 
gress in  Biblical  Literature,  has  also  been  most 
remarkable,  for  the  prevalence  of  false  doctrines, 
and  the  most  irreverent  treatment  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures.  But,  it  by  no  means  follows,  that 
these  evils  are  the  natural  result  of  this  par- 
ticular course  of  study.  Were  we  better  ac- 
quainted with  the  history  of  opinion  in  Germa- 
ny, and  the  nature  of  its  institutions,  we  might 
be  able  to  give  a  satisfactory  account  of  this 
phenomenon.  Since,  however,  we  know  what 
Biblical  Literature  is,  and  can  see,  that  there  is 
nothing  in  its  nature  which  leads  to  this  licen- 
tiousness of  error,  the  mere  fact  that  it  has  been 
cultivated  in  a  country,  in  which  error  abounds, 
should  not  make  us  suspicious  of  its  propriety. 
This  fact  may  have  arisen  from  a  multitude  of 
causes.     It  may.  in  a  measure,  have  arisen  from 


44 

the  circumstance  that  in  the  numerous  Universi- 
ties of  that  country,  there  are  chairs  allotted  to 
the  various  departments  of  Theology ;  that  the 
only  requisites  for  these  chairs,  are  talents  and 
learning.  But  what  would  be  the  natural  con- 
sequences of  such  men  having  it  as  their  official 
duty  through  life  to  teach  Theology  ?  Need  we 
wonder  that  they  would  prefer  to  direct  their 
attention  in  a  considerable  degree  to  the  exter- 
nals of  the  Bible  ;  to  the  philosophy  of  its  lan- 
guage ;  to  the  history  of  its  text,  its  manu- 
scripts, and  versions ;  to  the  illustration  of  its 
facts,  and  statements,  by  a  reference  to  the  his- 
tory, manners,  and  opinions  of  the  East  ?  and  it 
is  to  be  expected  that  they  would  devote  lives 
of  laborious  study,  to  these  subjects,  without  col- 
lecting much  that  is  valuable  in  illustration  of 
the  Sacred  Scriptures ;  without  opening  a  large 
field  of  inviting  study,  and  furnishing  materials, 
which  the  friends  of  religion  may  employ  for  the 
illustration  and  defence  of  the  Word  of  God  ? 

How  far  it  is  proper  for  us,  to  have  recourse 
to  the  works  of  these  men,  is  a  difficult  question. 
It  is  a  point  on  which  good  men  think  very  de- 
cidedly, though  very  diiferently.  The  danger 
apprehended,  does  not  arise,  from  the  force  of 
the  objections  which  may  be  brought  against  our 


45 

doctrines;  but  from  the  influence  which  such  writ 

tings  are  calculated  to  produce  upon  the  mind. 
Though  it  be  admitted,  that  these  works  may 
contain  valuable  matter,  yet  it  is  questioned, 
whether  the  young  have  sufficient  skill,  in  all 
cases,  to  separate  the  poison  from  the  food  : 
whether  it  is  possible  to  read  able  misrepre- 
sentations of  the  truth,  without  being  in  some 
measure  affected  by  them:  whether  every  young 
man,  at  the  very  commencement  of  his  course,  is 
a  fit  antagonist  for  the  most  learned  and  power 
ful  of  the  enemies  of  the  Gospel ;  and  whether 
experience  does  not  teach  that  the  opinions  of 
young  men  are  in  a  good  degree  formed  by  the 
books  they  most  frequently  consult.  It  is  thought. 
too,  there  is  a  great  difference  between  coming 
to  these  books,  as  to  the  writings  of  the  profes- 
sed enemies  of  our  religion,  to  learn,  what  thc\ 
Gan  advance  against  the  doctrines  we  believe  : 
and  approaching  them  as  friends,  for  the  purpo- 
ses of  instruction.  It  is  thought  that  the  mind 
is  imperceptibly  put  into  a  very  different  state  ; 
that  our  respect  for  the  talents  or  erudition  of 
the  writer,  prepares  us  too  readily  to  acquiesce 
in  his  conclusions.  But,  if  this  danger  be  im- 
aginary, is  it  possible  to  read  without  injury, 
works,  in  which  the  Bible  and  its  doctrines  are 


46 

most  irreverently  treated"?  to  see  the  Sacred 
Volume  placed  on  a  level  with  the  uninspired 
writings  of  profane  antiquity  ? — the  "  Mythol- 
ogy of  the  Jews"  and  Greeks,  discussed  precise- 
ly in  the  manner ;  to  hear  the  account  of  the 
creation,  called  the  cosmogony  of  a  weak  and 
foolish  people  ;  the  intercourse  of  Moses  with 
God,  explained  as  a  mere  device  to  obtain  au- 
thority for  his  laws  ;  the  predictions  of  the 
Prophets,  as  the  dictates  of  a  heated  imagina- 
tion ?  And,  especially,  is  it  possible  to  hear  un- 
injured, the  adorable  Redeemer,  irreverently 
spoken  of  ?  to  be  told  that  in  the  performance 
of  his  most  solemn  miracles,  "ductus  hilaritate" 
he  pretended  to  perform  them  ?  Is  it  possible 
that  blasphemy  here,  should  not  produce  the 
same  effect  upon  the  mind,  that  voluntary  inter- 
course with  profane  persons,  has  always  been 
found  to  produce  ?  By  what  influence  is  the 
effect  prevented  in  the  one  case,  which  is  ac- 
knowledged in  the  other?.  It  is  thought  that 
all  experience  teaches  that  every  work  sends 
out  an  influence  of  the  same  character,  with  its 
pervading  spirit ;  that  those  which  are  imbued 
with  piety,  tend  to  promote  it ;  and  that  those 
which  teem,  either  with  immorality  or  profane- 
ness,  cannot  be  read  with  impunity.        It    is 


1? 

hence  inferred,  that  whatever  philological 
knowledge  may  be  hurried  in  these  writings,  it 
is  little  worth  the  risk  to  moral  health,  which 
must  be  encountered  to  secure  it. 

This  is  a  question  on  which  we  must  all  think 
for  ourselves;  it  is  a  question  on  which  the 
members  of  this  society,  will  have  not  only  to 
think,  but  to  decide.  This  decision  should  be 
made,  without  regard  to  the  opinions  or  prac- 
tice of  others,  because  it  is  peculiarly  a  personal 
concern,  as  a  liberty  on  this  subject,  which 
might  not  be  injurious  to  one,  may  prove  des- 
tructive to  another.  If  we  find  the  perusal  of 
these  works,  tends  to  diminish  our  reverence  for 
the  Word  of  God  ;  to  embolden  us  to  treat  it, 
as  though  it  were  not  divine  ;  and  that  we  be- 
gin to  read  the  blasphemies  they  contain,  with- 
out shuddering  ;  it  is  evident,  however  the  case 
may  be  with  others,  that  we  should  be  greatly 
injured  by  studying  them.  Happily,  we  are  not 
reduced  to  the  necessity,  of  having  recourse  to 
these  works  :  equally  copious,  and  less  excep- 
tionable sources  of  information,  are  within  our 
reach. 

The  preceding  remarks,  if  correct  in   them- 
selves, are  applicable,  however,  only  to  one  cl 
of  those  eminent  scholars,  who  have  within  the 


48 

last  fifty  years,  appeared  in  Germany.  There 
are  many,  of  as  great  erudition  as  any  others, 
whose  works  may  be  read,  without  the  appre- 
hension of  being  pained  by  the  constant  recur- 
rence of  irreverence  and  error;  and  some  of  the 
most  valuable  productions,  even  of  those  who 
have  gone  to  the  greatest  lengths  in  false  doc- 
trines, are  such  as  not  to  give  rise  to  the  ex- 
pression of  offensive  opinions. 

But  how  is  it,  that,  with  all  their  advantages, 
these  learned  men  have  come  to  such  lamenta- 
ble results  in  their  expositions  of  scripture  ? 
Because  they  have  proceeded  on  principles  fun- 
damentally erroneous  :  they  have  regarded  the 
Bible  as  a  mere  human  production,  and  treated 
it  as  such.  Hence,  they  have  felt  at  liberty  to 
explain  the  accounts  of  the  Old  Testament,  as 
the  dreams  of  philosophers  ;  and  the  miracles  of 
the  New,  as  mere  natural  occurrences.  They, 
with  many  others,  have  adopted  the  Philosophi- 
cal mode  of  Interpretation,  making  their  pre- 
conceived opinions,  the  rule  of  their  expositions, 
which  of  course  must  vary,  as  their  philosophi- 
cal principles  vary.  The  man  whose  philoso- 
phy denies  the  possibility  of  a  miracle,  can 
find  no  such  wonder  on  the  sacred  page.  The 
disbeliever  in  the  immateriality  of  the  soul,  and 


49 

in  a  separate  spiritual  existence,  can  see  no 
proof  of  the  existence  of  Angels,  good  or  evil, 
nor  of  an  intermediate  state,  in  the  Word  of 
God.  The  doctrines  of  the  Trinity,  Incarna- 
tion, and  Atonement,  fade  from  the  Bibles  of 
those,  to  whom  they  are  unphilosophical.  But 
this  abuse  of  reason  and  learning,  does  not 
prove,  that  neither  are  to  be  used  in  the  expo- 
sition of  Scripture  ;  nor  docs  the  fact,  that 
many,  who  have  possessed  great  external  ad- 
vantages, for  understanding  the  sacred  writings, 
have  shamefully  abused  them,  prove  that  these 
advantages  are  dangerous  or  worthless.  It  does 
indeed  prove,  that  something  more  is  requisite, 
to  make  a  good  Interpreter  of  Scripture,  than 
mere  human  learning.  And  this  is  most  cheer- 
fully acknowledged.  The  man  whose  heart  is 
most  like  those  of  the  sacred  writers,  and  who 
enjoys  most  of  the  influences  of  the  same  all- 
teaching  Spirit  which  wrought  in  them,  will  best 
understand  the  records  they  have  left.  This  of 
all  qualifications  is  beyond  comparison  the  best ; 
yet  no  one  will  deny,  that  human  learning,  is 
useful  in  interpreting  the  Scriptures. 

II.  But,  if  not  this  course  of  study  unfriendly 
to  piety  ?    This  depends  on  the  manner  in  which 

it  is  conducted.      All  familiar   intc Tooursr-   with 
G 


50 

holy  things  is  dangerous.     The  ministry  itself, 
from  its  official  attention  to  religious  duties  and 
religious  truth,  is  perilous.      And  as  this  de- 
partment, is  more  immediately  conversant  with 
the  Bible,  it  may  be  more  peculiarly  exposed. 
But,  is  there  any  thing  in  the  very  nature  of  a 
course   of  study,  whose  object,  is  to  fix  with 
certainty  the  sacred  text;  to  state  the  principles 
which  reason  and  piety  approve,  on  which  it  is 
to  be  interpreted  ;  and  which  leads  us  so  much, 
to  the  study  of  the  Sacred  Volume  ;    is  there 
any  thing  in  the  nature  of  such  a  course  inimical 
to  piety  ?    Surely  not.     If  we  could  come  to  the 
Bible    in  some   measure     as   we   would   enter 
God's  presence,  and  read  its  pages  as  we  would 
hear  his  voice ;    the  oftener  wTe  approach  it  the 
holier  and  happier  we  should  be.      But  if  we 
come  to  the  Scriptures,  as  to  the  works  of  men, 
without  reverence,  and  without  prayer,  trusting 
in  ourselves,  our  rules,  or  our  learning,  the  re- 
sult will  be  disastrous.      Whatever  destroys  our 
reverence  for  the  Sacred  Scriptures  ;    or  leads 
us  to  treat  with  careless  familiarity  the  oracles 
of  God,  will  lead  not  only  to  a  decrease  of  piety, 
hut  to  an  amount  of   evil  to  the   church,  for 
which  all  human  learning    would  be  an  empty 
compensation. 


SI 

Fully  persuaded  however,  that  the  course  of 
study  of  which  we  have  been  speaking,  is  not 
only  extensive,  and  delightful ;  but  in  its  nature, 
calculated  to  enlarge  our  views  of  divine  truth, 
and  to  purify  the  heart ;  it  is  with  confidence, 
I  commend  this  Society  formed  for  improvement 
in  Biblical  Literature,  and  in  the  knowledge  of 
the  Bible,  to  the  diligence  of  its  members,  and 
to  the  benediction  of  the  Great  Head  of  the 
Church. 


Slocllon,  Colif. 


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